Engine controller



Nov. 25, i 1947.

A. M; STARR ENGINE CONTROLLER 3 sheets-sheet' 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1945 Nov. 25, 1947, A M, STARR 2,431,516`

ENGINE CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 9, 1945 5 Sheens-Sheel'l 2 L-l l /4/ I '/27 Y INVENIOR. ,4Q 4,4/1/ M 57,45@

ATTORNEY.

Nov, 25, 1947. A. M. STARR v 2,431,516

ENGINE CONTROLLER A Filed Jan. 9, :1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Six Patented Nov. 25, 71947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,431,516 ENGINE ooN'rnoLiLnn Alian M. starr, Piedmont, caiifl, assigner te Starr and Sweetland, a cpartnership Application January 9, 1945, serial Ne. 572,067

(oi. 12s- 52) 11 Claims. f1

My invention relates to means for controlling` the operation of prime movers, more especially internal combustion engines, and particularly engines employing fuel injection devices, especially those with spark ignition. It is customary to operate internal combustion engines under varying loads and alt varying speeds, usually under manual control or under manually supervised governor control. The operation of such an engine at moderate and full loads does not ordinarily introduce any serious problems, but the operation at small and light loads often introduces a problem of controlling suitably the introduction of fuel. This problem becomes esp-ecially aggravated in the case of relatively small engines and particularly in those having a multiplicity of cylinders so' that the load per cylinder is quite small. Diinculty arises in that it is hard to atomize a very small fuel charge into sufficiently minute portions to have the right relationship or proportion to the combustion air and to be appropriately distributed throughout the combustion air for ready ignition. A minimum requirement is that the ignition take' place and continue rather uniformly throughout the fuel air mixture, and this is impossible of achievement with any degree of reproducibility when the fuel amount is exceedingly small. In spark ignition engines it furthermore, diicult to provide a mixture rich enough for ignition in the vicinity of the spark plug when the fuel quantity is minute. Inaddition, injection enginesarev normally designedl so that they are most eiiic'ient atrelatively heavy and moderate loads, the resulting efficiency at light and idling loads being relatively poor. Thus, an engine' operating at light loads consumes a proportionately excessive amount of fuel. All of these effects are cumulative at light loads, that is, thedi-iculties of metering, atomlzing. and distributing the fuel are increasingly great, so that at `light uloads engines which' otherwise are suitalol'e and satisfactory operate erratically and abnormally.

Itis, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an engine controller effective to maintain and improve operating conditions during light-load engine operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for shifting the load from all of the cylinders of a multicylinder engine onto less than all of the cylinders under light-load conditions.

An additional object of my invention is to pro- Vide a means for shifting the engine load from one group of cylinders to another group Without appreciable'Y change in the torque delivered by the engine.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide means; for supplying fuel alternatively to some or all of the cylinders of a multicylinder engine, depending' upon the engine load,

An additional object .ofv my invention is to provide means responsive to the amount of load upon the eng-ine for automatically supplying fuel to some only of the engine cylinders.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a fuel supplying system quickly responslve to changed operating conditions for distributing iii-e1 to the engine cylinders automatically in either of two ways.

A further object of my invention is to increase relatively the fuel supplied to the cylinders still operating when someof the cylinders are out of operation. I

A still further object of rny invention is in general to improve the light-load operation of multicylinder engines. l

other objects i niy invention, together with the' foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagra'irirnatic4 side elevation of a portion of a m'ulticylinder injection-type engine with one' embodiment of my invention incorporated therewith. Y

Figure 2v is a' cross section, on a generally vertical. longitudinal plane, with portions broken away, of a fluid-actuated controller constructed in accordance with my invention. y A

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showingthe'parts in' a different position.

Figure 4' is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3, but showing the parts in another position.

Figuren is a View largelyin section on a longitudinal, vertical plane, with parts broken away and portions shown diagrammatically, of an electrically actuated controller constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified portion of a controlling structure according to my invention, a portion of the structure being disclosed in cross section on a generally vertical, longitudinal plane.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a composite rack structure utilized with the invention embodiment disclosed in Figure 6. v

Figure 8 is a plan of the composite rack structure utilized with the invention embodiment shown in Figure 6. y

Figure 9 is a side elevation of one of the racks of Figure 7*, illustrated alone.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the other of the racks of Figure 7, illustrated alone.

In its preferred form my invention is for use with an engine of the multicylinder type having a plurality of fuel controllers, preferably one for each cylinder and customarily in the nature of fuel injectors, each being variable to control the flow' of fuel to its respective cylinder. The various fuel controllers or injectors are divided into a first group and into a second group. The controllers of the first group are joined to a responsive element such as a piston, while the controllers of the second group are similarly joined to a responsive element such as a second piston. The pistons are movable within a cylinder defined by a housing and are normally urged into a rst or approached position within the cylinder by suitable means, such as springs. In addition, there is provided means for overcoming the urgency of the springs and for forcing the pistons into a different relative or spaced-apart position. The housing itself is mounted for movement wth respect to its support, usually on the engine, and means are provided responsive to such movement of the housing for governing a flow of pressure iiuid to the cylinder for changing the relative position of the pistons. Under medium and full loads the supply of actuating fluid to the cylinder is cut off and the springs hold the pistons relatively close together and in effect as a unit with the housing. When the housing is moved under these conditions all of the fuel controllers on the engine are uniformly and simultaneously varied. When the load on the engine is relatively light and the housing is moved into light-load position operating fluid is admitted to the cylinder, quickly forcing the pistons apart concurrently and substantially equivalent amounts against the urgency of the springs and holding them apart during light-load motion of the housing. In response to the movement of the housing into light-load position the piston controlling one group of fuel injectors Varies such injectors to interrupt completely the supply by them of fuel to the engine; whereas the piston controlling the fuel injectors in the second group is moved into a position comparably increasing the amount of fuel supplied by its injectors to the engine. Thus, as the engine load changes from moderate to light some of the cylinders are prevented from operating and the remaining ones are given more fuel to assume the transferred load. In going from light load to moderate load on the engine as a whole the load on some of the cylinders is relatively reduced, while` simultaneously that proportion is imposed upon the remaining cylinders. In the light-load range, however, the controller varies the fuel injectors of the still operating cylinders as usual, and in the moderate or heavy-load range the controller varies the amount of fuel injected by all of the injectors into all of the cylinders in the usual fashion. Consequently, with this arrangement, under full-load conditions or heavy-load conditions the operation of the engine is exactly as normal or customary, yet in the light-load position the operation of the engine, though variable, is upon less than the full number of cylinders. This means that at light and idling loads the efficiency of the actual operating cylinders is higher than it otherwise would be. The amount of fuel supplied to them is suiiicient to provide a good mixture for ignition and burning.

It is feasible to embody the invention to utilize a iluid, such as oil under pressure, asthe actuating medium for producing a quick or snap controlling action therewith, and it is also satisfactory to utilize electrical means for the purpose. There is substantially no difference in operating characteristics between the hydraulic uid operated mechanism and the electrically operated mechanism; hence, except where the following description especially diiferentiates, the generally descriptive language applies to both of these forms of the invention.

In the form particularly shown in Figures 1 to 4, there is provided a multicylinder engine 6. The engine is of any conventional kind including a plurality of multiplicity of cylinders, each provided with a suitable fuel controlling mechanism. For purposes of illustration this might be shown as a throttle on a fuel supplying structure, but in the present instance there is illustrated a fourcylinder engine, each cylinder having an individual one of several fuel injectors "I, 8, 9, and I respectively. Each of the injectors is connected in a well-known fashion so as to receive fuel from a source of supply, not shown, and is driven in timed relation to the operation of the engine to inject fuel into the appropriate cylinder. In this instance each of the injectors is identical lwith the others and is provided with means for varying the quantity of fuel supplied through it to its respective cylinder from a maximum amount down to a minimum so low as to constitute a cutol or noflow condition. For the purpose of varying the amount of fuel ow through it, each injector is provided with a translatable rod I2 connected in a well-known manner, as by a rack and gear structure, not shown, to mechanism for varying the quantity handled. A similar rack rod I3 is provided in connection with the injector 8, a comparable rack rod I4 is provided for the injector 9, and a rack rod I5 is included with the injector I0. In the usual engine all of the rack rods I2, I3, I4 and I5 are connected together for operation in unison.

In accordance with my invention and in the present instance the rack rods are not all permanently connected for operation in unison but are connected for operation in a predetermined or selected number of groups. For example, in the present case I prefer to connect the rack rods I3 and I4 together to form a first group controlling cylinders 2 and 3 of the engine and, comparably, to connect together the rack rods I2 and I5 for concurrently controlling the operation of cylinders I and 4 of the engine. The connection between the rack rods I3 and I4 to tie them into the rst group is eiectuated by a connecting link II and, similarly, the junction between the rack rods I2 and I5 to tie them into the second group is accomplished by a connecting link I8, appropriately fastened to the respective rods I2 and I5. With this arrangementr any motion of the rack rod I3 is correspondingly imparted to the rack rod I4 and any motion of the rack rod I2 is imparted to the rack rod I5.

In accordance with my invention, means are provided to be effective upon the rods I2 and I3 and thus upon the two groups of fuel controllers to move them all in unison under conditions of moderate and full-load operation, and to move the groups individually or in unison under different relative relationship under conditions of light-load operation. VFor this reason the rack rods I2 and I3 are extended in axial alignment but are spaced apart to accommodate an interposed housing I9, formed to provide an interior cylinder 2|. Disposed Within the cylinder is a pair of pistons. A piston 22 is provided with a stem 23 passing through an apertured head 24 closing one end of the cylinder 2| and terminating in a button 25, transversely slidable into a receiving socket 21 cut in the head of an adjusting stud 2B. This stud is threaded into the tapped end of the rack rod I2 and is locked in any axially adjusted position by a nut 29.

With this construction the piston 22 is united to the rod I2 for concurrent axial translation, but

for assembly and disassembly the piston is transversely detachable from its connection with the rod I2. By means of the adjustment the relative axial position of the piston 22 and the end of the rod I2 can be readily set as desired.

The piston 22 is movable axially within the cylinder 2I being limited in such motion by an internal stop 3l integrally formed with the stem 23 and by an external collar 32, in one position abutting the head 24. A helical spring 33 abuts the piston and the cylinder head 24 and is eiective to urge the piston and its attached mechanism toward the left in Figure 2, or in a direction so that the collar 32 abuts the cylinder head 24.

In a somewhat similar fashion, a second piston 36 is translatable within the cylinder 2| against the urgency of a helical spring 31 interposed between the piston and the cylinder end wall 38. A stop 39 integral with the piston stem 4I limits the compression of the spring 31 and the motion of the piston toward the left in Figure 2. The piston stem passes through the apertured end of the cylinder wall 38 and is threaded to engage the tapped end of the rack rod I3. Because of this threaded engagement the relative axia1 position of the piston stem 4I and of the rack rod I3 can be set as desired and locked in position by a lock nut 42.

With the arrangement as so far described, the springs 33 and 31 are suiiiciently unyielding with respect to the resistance to motion of the rack rods I2 and I3 so that the pistons 22 and 36 are urged to approach each other with the collar 32 abutting the housing I9 and the lock nut 42 also abutting the housing and in effect forming a solid connection between the rack rods I2 and I3 and the housing I 9. Thus, as the housing I9 is moved in an axial direction either to the right or to the left, as seen in Figure 2, the force of the springs is suicient to cause the rack rods I2 and I3 to move in unison therewith and to control the injectors of both groups and the cylinders of the entire engine in a uniform fashion.

Advantage is taken of this relationship to control the engine under norma), conditions of moderate and full load by coupling the housing I9 into the operators control system. For that reason the housing I9 is provided with a removable connection 5I to an actuating rod 52 connected by a pivot pin 53 to the upper arm 54 of a rocking lever generally designated 56. A fulcrum pivot -51 efiectuates a mounting for the rocking lever 56 on the engine 6. The rocking lever incorporates a lower arm 58 connected by a pivot pin 59 to a manual or supervisory control rod 6I extending to a contro-l lever 62 and fastened thereto by a pivot pin 63. The lever 62 is either manually or pedally operated or is otherwise under the control of an operator. In the present instance it takes the form of a foot treadle mounted by a fulcrum pin 64 on a suitable part of the supporting mechanism 66 to which the engine 6 is related. With this motion train a depression of the treadle 62 or a fuel-increasing rotation thereof in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, is effective to produce a corresponding shift of the rod 6I, a rocking of the lever 56 in a counterclockwise direction, and a translation of the housing I9 to the left, as seen in Figures 1 and 2 and, consequently, a translation of all of the rack rods I2, I3, I4 and I5 in the same direction.

Restoring movement of the controlling linkage, with motion in the reverse sense from heavy-load toward light-load position, is eiectuated by a relatively light coil spring 61 surrounding. a governor rod 68 passing through the pierced lower end 69 of the rocker 56. The spring 81 not only overlies or encompasses the rod 68 in abutment with the end of the rocker 56,` but as well abuts a stop collar 1I locked on the governor rod. The amount of motion between the rod 68 and the lower end 69 of the rocker is in one direction limited by a stop head 12 formed on the rod 68. With this arrangement and considering the rod 63 as a stationary portion of the mechanism,r the spring 81 is normally effective to urge the treadle 62 into light-load or no-load position and to urge the housing I9 and its appurtenant structures to the right in Figures 1 and 2 into light or no-load position. The force imposed by the spring 61, however, is readily overcome upon manual depressionV of the treadle 62.

Since it is desired that the engine 6 be regulated not only manually but also by an automatic mechanism, yet with the manual control taking precedence, I provide that the rod 68 pass through a mounting bracket 'I3 on the engine and extend to the pierced upper end 14 of the operating arm 16 of a governor 11 of conventional type and operated by the engine 6 in accordance with some main function thereof, such as engine speed. The arrangement of the governor is such that when the engine speed is deficient and is to be increased the arm 'I6 rotates in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, and because of an abutment 18 at the endV of the rod 68 draws the rod to the right, as seen in Figure 1, so that thehead 12 abuts. the end 69 and correspondingly rotates the rocker lever 56 in a counter-clockwise direction, just as though it had been so rotated by pressure on the treadle 62.

To urge the governor rod 68 in the reverse direction when the engine speed is excessive and the arm 16 returns in a counter-clockwise direction, a light coil spring 8| is positioned around the rod 68 to abut the bracket I3 and also to press against a collar 82 adjustably positioned firmly upon the rod 68 by a pair of jam nuts 83 and 84, respectively. With this arrangement the speed of the engine and its ability to carry load can always be increased manually by operation of the treadle 62, despite any operation of the governor. Also, if the treadle is at any time held in a position below the minimum governed speed of the engine the governer is effective to move the linkage in a direction to increase the load-carrying capability of the engine. With this mechanism there is provided a means for controlling all of the fuel supplying structures of the engine in unison by an automatic governor subject to manual override but capable of establishing a minimumloacl or speed operation.

As so far described and without more, the mechanism is eiective to control completely the operation of the engine in the customary or usual manner, all portions thereof being equivalently and simultaneously regulated. In accordance with my invention, there is provided a means for regulating different portions of the engine in different ways. For this purpose the housing I9 is provided with a connection to a source of fluid under pressure, for example a hydraulic fluid, such as oil. Conveniently, the oil under pressure is taken from the customary lubricating oil pressure system normally incorporated with the engine 6. Oil from this source is led through a suitable conduit 86 having a junction 81 with a valve rod 88 bored out centrally to afford a passage 89 leading from the oil supply conduit to a bias passage 9I establishing communication with a cut-away or relieved valve portion 92. The portion 92 is dened or delimited by the adjacent full diameter po-rtion of the rod 88 and also by a collar 93 or land of full diameter, slidable with minimum clearance within a cylindrical Valve bore 94 conveniently formed in the housing I9.

Also occupying part of the bore 94 and formed as an extension of' the tube 88 is a stem 96, of lesser cross-sectional area than the bore 94, to afford a drain passage 91. The stem 96 is stationarily secured to any suitable fixed portion of the engine and in the present instance is provided with an enlarged collar 98 mounted upon a threaded terminus 99 of the stem 95 and locked in position by a pair of jam nuts IOI and |02, respectively. Axially confined butu laterally movable with respect to the stem 96 is a mounting bracket |03 transversely slotted and extending from the casing |04 of the injector 8. With this arrangement, when the jam nuts I| and |02 are loosened the housing I9 and its appurtenances are transversely removable from the mounting. When the housing is in position with the jam nuts IDI and |02 tightened, the stem 96 is firmly held against any motion whatsoever.

Since the stem is xedly mounted and the housing I9 is movable, advantage is taken of the relative motion to control the flow of pressure luid from the supply tube 86 to the chamber 2|. This is accomplished by the provision of a valve aperture |96 establishing communication between the bore 94 and the cylinder 2|. The aperture is bored through the housing I9 and then has the exterior portion plugged. In the relative position of parts illustrated in Figure 2, which is the full-load operating position, the oil under pressure from the conduit 86 cannot pass the land 93 of the valve except in leakage quantities that are immediately discharged through the drain passage 91. l

When, however, the structure of the housing I9 is moved toward a lighter load position and into the position shown in Figure 3, the aperture |06 is in precise alignment with the land 93. This is a marginal or border position. During this motion the housing I9 has moved the rack rods I2 and I3 in unison to produce a uniform reduction in load-carrying capacity of the engine by uniformly reducing the fuel supplied to all the cylinders.4 Slight further motion of the housing I9 in a load-reducing direction causes the Dort |06 to override the land 93 and to come into communication with the chamber around the reduced portion 92 of the stem so that fluid under pressure flows freely through the connection 81, through the bore 89, through the bias passage 9|, and through the port I 06 into the cylinder 2| between the two pistons 22 and 36 The pressure exerted by the admitted iluid is much greater than any resistance imposed by the equivalent springs 33 and 31 and consequently both of the pistons 22 and 36 are immediately and quickly forced apart equivalently into remote positions relative to each other in opposite ends of the cylinder 2|, compressing the springs to a maximum amount and until the stop 3| abuts the cylinder head 24 and simultaneously the stop 39 abuts the cylinder end 38. This position is illustrated in Figure 4 and shows that when the pistons are slid apart under the urgency of the liquid pressure they form a substantially rigid unit with the housing I9 so that they again move in unison therewith.

translate the rack rod I2 and all of the mechanism associated therewith, specifically the rack rod I5, farther than usual toward the right, as seen in these various iigures of the drawings, which is in the fuel-reducing direction, so that the injectors 1 and I0 by this motion are abruptly put into 'inoperative condition, or so that they introduce no fuel into cylinders I and 4. To make sure there is no fuel injection there may be a slight overtravel of the injectors 1 and I0 in the ofi direction. In this way, a group of the cylinders, in this instance half of them, is put outof operation and does not bear any part of the engine load.

To assume the load removed from cylinders I and 4, cylinders 2 and 3 are given additional fuel in a proportionate amount by reason of the translation of the rack rod I3 to the left, as seen in the various gures, by an equivalent amount. Thus, when the structure is in the position shown in Figure 3 the load is evenly distributed and carried by all four of the cylinders, whereas with the change in position as illustrated in Figure 4, fuel has been cut olf from cylinders I and 4 but an equivalent additional amount has been directed to cylinders 2 and 3. Because of the operation of the pressure fluid or servo mechanism this change is made quickly and in eiect virtually within an engine cycle, so that no misring or smoking occurs.

After the pistons have been forcibly urged to occupy the ends of the cylinder 2| in the housing, additional load-reducing motion of the housing carries both of the rack rods I2 and I3 unifcrmly therewith, thereby reducing the amount of fuel supplied to cylinders 2 and 3 and moving the injector controllers for cylinders I and 4 in the same reducing direction, but since these injectors are already in a no-fuel position there is simply a mechanical overtravel or lost motion therein. The load can be reduced as much as desired by continued motion of the linkage in the same direction. The engine is still uniformly under the operators control and under governor control whether it is operating on one group of cylinders or several groups of cylinders. The changeover and redistribution of load carried by the cylinders occurs so quickly and with such a balanced redistribution of load that there is no perceptible variation in engine performance, except audible indications of changed explosion frequency.

When the load is again increased by appropriate motion of the treadle 62, the housing I9 is again translated toward the left, as seen in Figure l, and reversely travels from its Figure 4 position through its Figure 3 position and back into an approximation of its Figure 2 position. After the part I 09 travels over the land 93, lt is isolated from the chamber 92, and is in communicationwith the passage 91, so that the cylinder oil is free to discharge. Under this condition, the springs 33 and 31 are effective quickly to snap the pistons 22 and 36 from their remote relative position within the cylinder 2| into their approached position in that cylinder, discharging the previously confined oil. This restores the mechanism into its Figure 2 position with the rack rods I2 and I3 again in approached position and all cylinders of all groups firing under equivalent loads and under the general, uniform control of the treadle. In this way, by continuous motions of the treadle the load is carried by some cr all of the cylinders of the engine, with the transfer being eiectuated smoothly and quickly in either direction.

In accordance with my invention, a servo mechanism other than one hydraulically actuated can readily be employed. For example, an electrical mechanism may be utilized, as illustrated in Figure 5, wherein the structure generally is like that previously described except that the housing ||9, although connected by -a fastening 2| to the control rod 52 as before, serves as a mounting for a pair of magnetic or solenoid coils |22 and |23. These coils are coaXially arranged and encompass a pair of solenoid cores |24 and |26, respectively. The core |24 is mounted by a stem |21 on the rack rod 13, being held in adjustedposition by a jam nut |28 and being urged toward the central position with respect to the housing |19 by a coil spring |29 interposed. between the core |24 and an upstanding ear |3| included in the housing. In a similar fashion, the core |26 is mountedon the rack rod l2, being held by a jam nut |32 and being urged toward an approached position with the core |24 by a coil spring |33 interposed between the core |26 and an apertured ear |34 included in and upstanding from the housing ||9.

With this arrangement, operation of the controlrod 52 translates the housing ||9 in either direction and, dueto the pressure of the springs |29 and |33, moves the cores |24 and |26 and the rack rods |2 and |3 in unison. To provide the snap spreading action of the cores |24 and |26, the coils |22 and |23 are connected in parallel in an electrical circuit. This circuit extends from a ground connection |4| of a source of power such as a storage battery |42 through a conductor |43 to each of the coils |22 and |23 in parallel and from them in parallel to a conductor |44 joined to a resilient switch contact |46, diagrammatically illustrated. A similar resilient switch contact |41 is connected to the housing ||9, in turn maintained at ground potential by a ground connection |48. In order to close the switch and energize the coils at an appropriate point in the travels of the housing, a stem |49 is suitably mounted on any stationary portion |5| of the engine structure, extends into the housing ||9 and carries a switch contact plate |52 in an appropriate 1ocation.

In the large load positions of the housing ||9 the switch contacts |46 and |41 are out of abutment with the plate |62 and the circuit through the coilsy |22 and |23 is open, alfording unhampered mechanical translation of the elements. When the housing ||9 is moved into a critical small-load position both of the switch contacts |46 and |41 abut the conducting plate |52 so that an electrical circuit is completed through the coils |22 and |23. This occurs instantly, instantly energizing the two cores |24 and |26 into their respective coils |22 and |23 against the urgency of their respective springs |29 and |33, thus abruptly snapping the rack rods I2 and I3 apart to produce the same eiect as produced by the hydraulic servo mechanism. Further motion of the housing towards lower load position-or smaller load position merely deforms the resilient contact points |46 and 41 without interrupting the circuit.

Upon reverse or return motion toward full-load position of the housing, the contacts |46 and |41 return to their extended positions and finally leave contact with the conducting plate |52, instantly breaking the continuity of the electrical circuit, thus cle-energizing the coils |22 and |23, permitting the springs |29 and |33 to snap the cores |24 and |26 from their remote position within the housing |9 back to their approached or adjacent position within such housing. In this fashion there is aiorded an electrically energized structure producing the same mode of operation Iand the same fuction as the hydraulically ener- -gized device.

In some engine installations the various fuel controlling devices, such as injectors, are not individually installed at each cylinder, as illustrated in Figure 1, but rather are grouped into a pump unit, as illustrated in Figure 6. The engine controller of my invention is readily incorporated withA fuel control devices of this nature and, for the most part, is unchanged from the devices already considered, although some installation variations are included. As disclosed in Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, the pump unit |6| includes a plurality of pumps |62, |63, |64, and |65, these being identical units and arranged in a rst group including injector pumps |62 and |65 and a second group including injector pumps |63 and |64. The pumps of the rst group are controlled by a rack rod |61, while those of the second group are controlled by a rack rod |68. These rack rods are movable in unison and also are formed to be movable with respect to or relative to each other. The rack rod |61 is provided with rack teeth |69 at either side of an interrupted portion |1| and is likewise formed with a longitudinal groove |12. Within the groove |12 is slidably disposed the rack rod |68 and rack teeth |13 formed thereon, operating within the relieved portion |1|. The rack rods |61 and |66 extend to pistons |14 and |16, arranged precisely like the pistons 22 and 36, and operating within a housing |11 identical with the housing 9. The housing |11 is provided with a connector |16 joining it to the controlling rod 52 so that the operation of the housing is identical with that shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Further, there is a hydraulic fluid supply line at |19 and a spill passage |8| for discharged operating Oil. With this arrangement the function of the operating mechanism is identical with that previously described, yet the installation is appropriate to a plurality of pumps arranged in a common housing I6 With all forms of my invention there is afforded a mechanism for redistributing the load among the engine cylinders in accordance with the total amount of the load upon the engine, one which does so quickly and with proper apportionment, yet one which does not in any wise add to the complexity of the control, but rather is under the same controlling instrumentalities that are customarily provided. Thus, it is feasible to operate less than all of the cylinders of the engine under light-load conditions with better efiiciency and with better fuel distribution than customary.

What is claimed is:

1. An engine controller for an engine having a pair of fuel suppliers comprising a control element movable within and between a first range and a second range, means operated by said control element for regulating both of said fuel suppliers in unison in the same direction when said element is in said rst range, and means operated by said control element for regulating but one of said fuel suppliers in said direction and the other of said fuel suppliers in the opposite direction when said element is in said Second range.

2. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel injectors comprising means effective when moved through one range to vary all of said 11 injectors in one sense simultaneously and when moved through a further range to vary only some of said injectors in said one sense and the remainder of said injectors in the opposite sense.

3. An engine controller for a plurality of fuel injectors comprising a control element, means for connecting said control element to one of said injectors with a lost-motion connection, means for connecting said control element to another of said injectors with a lost-motion connection, and means for simultaneously taking up the lost motion in said lost-motion connections.

4. An engine controller for a plurality of fuel injectors comprising a control element, means for connecting said control element to one of said injectors with a lost-motion connection, means for connecting said control element to anotherV or said injectors with a lost-motion connection, and means effective in a predetermined position of said control element for taking up the lost motion in said lost-motion connections:

5. An engine controller for a plurality of fuel injectors comprising a control element, means for connecting said control element to one of said injectors with a lost-motion connection, means for connecting said controlelement to another of said injectors with a lost-motion connection, and means elective upon relatively slow motion of said'control element for relatively quickly taking up the lost motion in said lost-motion connec-Y tions.

6. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel injectors on an engine comprising a housing formed to provide a cylinder, a, rst piston in said cylinder connected to vary one of said fuel injectors, a second piston in said cylinder connected to vary another of Vsaid fuel injectors, means for urging said pistons into one position relative'to each other Within said cylinder, means for forcing said pistons into another position relative to each other within said cylinder, and means dependent upon motion relative to said housing for controlling said forcing means.

7. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel injectors on an engine comprising a housing formed to provide a cylinder and movable with respect to said engine, a rst piston in said cylinder connected to vary one of said injectors, a second piston in said cylinder connected to vary another of said fuel injectors, means for urging said pistons toward each other, means for forcing said pistons away from each other, and means dependent upon the position of said house ing with respect to said engine for controlling the relative eifectiveness of said urging means and said forcing means.

8. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel suppliers on an engine comprising a housing movable on said engine and formed to provide a cylinder, a first piston in said cylinder effective to control one of said suppliers, a second piston in said cylinder effective to control another of said suppliers, springs for urging said pistons together, fluid means for forcing said pistons apart, and a valve operated in response to relative movement between said housing and said engine for controlling the effectiveness of said iiuid means.

9. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel injectors comprising means eifective in one range of movement to vary all of said injectors substantially identically, and means effective in another range 0f movement to vary one of said injectors a predetermined amount in one direction and simultaneously to vary another injector substantially said amount in the opposite direction.

10. An engine controller for a plurality of variable fuel injectors comprising means for varying a rst group of said injectors in accordance with the engine load throughout a light load range, and means effective at a predetermined engine load for varying the injectors of said rst group and of a second group to distribute the engine load over all of the injectors of both of said groups.

11. An engine controller for a plurality of fuel injectors comprising a control element movable with respect to an engine, a first injector controller connected to one of said injectors and having relative motion with respect to said control element, a second injector controller connected to another of said injectors and having relative motion with respect to said control element, and means for simultaneously moving both of said injector controllers with respect to said control element in accordance with a predetermined variation in load upon said engine.

ALLAN M. STARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

` UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

